The Stakes of Endogenous Know-How and Local Development: Cultural Artefacts in Maroua, Far North Region of Cameroon
Journal Title: Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences - Year 2017, Vol 2, Issue 12
Abstract
Cultural artefacts refer to indigenous know-how, resources or potentials which are part of our cultural and artistic depositories used to satisfy our basic needs and wants. They protect cultural/artistic values and generate financial gains, which are all paramount for local development. Cultural artefacts therefore play an important role in local development. Nevertheless, the role, value and potentials of cultural artefacts in local development has yet been assessed, and is severely underrepresented in global development debates compared to, for instance, climate change or international terrorism. This study aims to critically assess the roles, values and potentials of cultural artefacts to local development in the city of Maroua, Far North Region of Cameroon and proposes recommendations towards achieving sustainable local development from indigenous know-how. Specifically, I conceive cultural artefacts as dual apparatus, on the one hand, positively contributing to local development, but on the other being adversely affected by a litany of problems in the very same process. To critically assess this process, data from case study, the published literature, field observations and interviews conducted among relevant actors (government ministries represented by regional delegations in the Far North Region, NGOs, CIGs, local council members, traditional authorities, quarter heads, and craftsmen and their intermediaries) as well as descriptive analyses of collected data were employed. The findings reveal that cultural artefacts in Maroua positively contribute to local development via providing a source of tourist attraction and ensuring cultural interchange between visitors and locals, employment creation and revenue generation, preservation and valorization of cultural diversity, creation of mediums of exchange/markets and emergence of cultural exhibition and animation centres. Conversely, they are being adversely affected in the very same process by the absence of handicraft school to train professional craftsmen, poor marketing/publicity system, ever increasing scarcity of raw materials, lack of access to credit facilities, absence of technical supervision and investment, problem of insecurity by Boko Haram terrorists, lack of basic facilities and amenities, and mistrust and misunderstanding amongst the craftsmen and their intermediaries. The aim of this study was to pave the way for novel approaches towards achieving sustainable local development from cultural artefacts in the current context of globalisation. Keywords: Cultural artefact, endogenous know-how, sustainable local development, Maroua, Cameroon.
Authors and Affiliations
Clarkson Mvo Wanie
Keywords
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